Review of CCR: Pendulum

Please read Scott Gregory’s pick for CCR:
Pendulum before reading and listening to our reviews below.

Quick Summary: 

  • Would we recommend?
  • Influence us and our tastes?
  • Worth the hype?
3.8

Review of CCR: Pendulum

We had some fantastic conversation around this album as usual. A band like CCR deserves so much respect for what they were and what they did for rock music in the late 60s. The band is famous for breaking apart and John Fogarty holding a grudge against the other 3 members, including his brother Tom Fogarty, Stu Cook and Doug Clifford. Listen to what we thought of this album and learn about the history of CCR.
The Sonic Collective


Our Individual Review Scores
Scott Gregory:
Overall opinion: 4
Would I recommend?: 4
Influenced my tastes: 4
Worth the hype? 4
Alain DuPuis:
Overall opinion: 3
Would I recommend?: 3
Influenced my tastes: 2
Worth the hype? 3
Scott Coates:
Overall opinion: 4
Would I recommend?:4
Influenced my tastes: 4
Worth the hype?: 4
Darren Scott:
Overall opinion: 4
Would I recommend?: 5
Influenced my tastes: 4
Worth the hype? 4

Tom Petty: Wildflowers


This is a really sad day. Tom Petty has passed away.
I’m actually a bit late getting my pick up as usually we have them ready on the first. I planned to update today and when I woke up I heard that Tom had a cardiac arrest and was taken to the hospital. I since recorded my segment about his pick and now just found out he died shortly after. So sad.
I decided to pick Tom Petty’s Wildflowers album a few days ago after much thought. I’ve always loved Tom Petty and thought to myself that is was about time we picked one of his albums. I knew the hits from Wildflowers but for whatever reason I never actually owned this particular album.
Listen to why I picked this album on this sad day and please join us in celebrating an amazing musician and listen with us this month.
Darren Scott
Wildflowers on Wikipedia
Wildflowers on iTunes
Wildflowers on Spotify

Review of Alanis Morissette: Jagged Little Pill

Please read Alain DuPuis’ pick for Alanis Morissette: Jagged Little Pill before reading and listening to our reviews below.

Quick Summary: 

  • Would we recommend?
  • Influence us and our tastes?
  • Worth the hype?
4

Review of Alanis Morissette: Jagged Little Pill

The year was 1995, the grunge movement was coming to an end and the strong feminist message from the Riot Grrrl movement was never going to get mainstream radio play. Enter Canadian mall-pop sensation Alanis Morissette with her 3rd album Jagged Little Pill. A huge kudos to Alanis for wanting to be something different than manufactured mall-pop. She left her Canadian home of Ottawa and moved to Los Angeles where she met and had and instant connection with producer Glen Ballard. They would collaborate on experimenting with her sound and they co-wrote most all of the albums tracks. This album was a monster and sold 33 million albums and counting. Have a listen to our review of this mega album and see if it stood the test of time and what we thought about it now. You’ll enjoy this one.
The Sonic Collective


Our Individual Review Scores
Alain DuPuis:
Overall opinion: 4
Would I recommend?: 5
Influenced my tastes: 4
Worth the hype? 4
Scott Coates:
Overall opinion: 4
Would I recommend?:4
Influenced my tastes: 2
Worth the hype?: 4
Darren Scott:
Overall opinion: 4
Would I recommend?: 5
Influenced my tastes: 3
Worth the hype? 4
Scott Gregory:
Overall opinion: 4.5
Would I recommend?: 5
Influenced my tastes: 4
Worth the hype? 4.5

Review of Public Enemy: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back

Please read Scott Coates pick for Public Enemy: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back before reading and listening to our reviews below.

Quick Summary: 

  • Would we recommend?
  • Influence us and our tastes?
  • Worth the hype?
4.7

Review of Public Enemy: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back

I have to admit that our little group is on a great streak of great albums to review and our member Scott Coates from Bangkok, Thailand did not disappoint. Public Enemy’s It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back blew the doors and speakers open with it’s extremely raw sound and messages. Have a listen to our review and find out just how influential this album was, how much sampling happened and what 4 white Canadian boys think of this fun ride. Yeah…. boy!!!!
Ps. I feel like we didn’t give enough credit to the other members of PE. Though Chuck D is the leader all these greats contributed: Harry Allen, Chuck D, Fab 5 Freddy, Flavor Flav, Erica Johnson, Oris Josphe, Professor Griff


Our Individual Review Scores
Scott Coates:
Overall opinion: 4
Would I recommend?:4
Influenced my tastes: 3.5
Worth the hype?: 4
Darren Scott:
Overall opinion: 5
Would I recommend?: 5
Influenced my tastes: 5
Worth the hype? 5
Scott Gregory:
Overall opinion: 5
Would I recommend?: 5
Influenced my tastes: 5
Worth the hype? 4.5
Alain DuPuis:
Overall opinion: 4.5
Would I recommend?: 5
Influenced my tastes: 5
Worth the hype? 4.5
Check out PE’s latest album. How does this one stand up?

Alanis Morissette: Jagged Little Pill


July 1st marked the 150th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation, and I guess I’ve been feeling a little bit more patriotic than usual, so for this month’s pick, I’ve decided to stay close to home and celebrate one of Canada’s top female music talents.
Alanis Morissette released the album Jagged Little Pill in June of 1995. I was surprised to learn it was actually her third album, and her first to be released outside of Canada. Full of angst and emotion, a wall of post-grunge instrumentals were complimented by clever, yet relatable lyrics, the album clearly struck a chord with the world at the time, because it ended up topping the charts in 10 different countries. 33 million units were shifted worldwide, and it remains one of the best-selling albums of all time. Additionally, the album spawned 6 singles, which meant that in the 90s, it was unlikely there was anybody on Earth who didn’t know the words to at least one song from JLP. Does familiarity breed contempt when it comes to Alanis? I guess we’re gonna find out.
Let’s put on our flannel shirts, climb into the back of Mom’s Plymouth Voyager, and take a sonic trip through time back to the mid-90s, when for better or worse, Alanis Morissette was all but inescapable.
Links:
Album on iTunes
Album on Amazon
Wikipedia Information on the album.

Review of James Brown: Hell

Please read Darren Scott’s pick for James Brown: Hell before reading and listening to our reviews below.

Quick Summary: 

  • Would we recommend?
  • Influence us and our tastes?
  • Worth the hype?
3.5

Review of James Brown: Hell

James Brown finally got picked by us here at The Sonic Collective. It’s about time. I (Darren) was very excited to experience one of James Brown’s most successful albums, Hell. It is definitely funky spliced with a 70s vibe. We had lots of comments and questions about the album and we hope you like loud gong sounds. Have a listen to our reviews and then grab this album and have a listen. We’d love to hear your comments and what you thought about the album. Be sure to check out the classic interview in the YouTube video above. Enjoy Hell… ha ha ha…

Our Individual Review Scores
Darren Scott:
Overall opinion: 3.5
Would I recommend?: 4
Influenced my tastes: 4.5
Worth the hype? 3.5
Scott Gregory:
Overall opinion: 3.5
Would I recommend?: 3.5
Influenced my tastes: 3
Worth the hype? 2
Scott Coates:
Overall opinion: 3
Would I recommend?:3
Influenced my tastes: 3 (James Brown 5!)
Worth the hype?: 3
Alain DuPuis:
Overall opinion: 4
Would I recommend?: 4
Influenced my tastes: 5
Worth the hype? 4

Public Enemy: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back


I’ve recently been listening to concerts and tracks (Unfuck the World – amazing video) from the newly formed super-group Prophets of Rage and been enjoying them a good deal. Pumped for their album coming out in September 15, 2017. I also re-watched an episode of Dave Grohl’s Sonic Highways where Public Enemy frontman Chuck D is interviewed and it got me to thinking about Public Enemy. I realized I’d never listened to one of their albums in full. Well it’s time.

It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back was released in June 1988 by Def Jam Recordings and was the band’s second studio album. It quickly went on to be named by many to be the best album of the year and has continued to grow in significance since then. The lyrics are poignant and it represents a snapshot of America in the late eighties. Strap in for a rap journey that’s regarded as one of the greatest of the genre…
Links:
Album on iTunes
Album on Amazon
Wikipedia Information on the album.

James Brown: Hell


I’m actually as surprised as you were that we have been a group that specializes in reviewing influential artists and albums, but this is our first review of a James Brown album. I thought for sure that in out live album selection round that his Live at the Apollo album would have been chosen, but alas, it was not.
I am very excited to really dive into the album. I invite you to listen to why I selected this particular album and to join me in rediscovering a classic from a legend*.
*A legend in his music. I actually detest that he was an abusive man and how he took advantage of others close to him.
Links:
Hell on Spotify
Rolling Stone Review

Review of Cyndi Lauper: She's So Unusual

Please read Scott Gregory’s pick for Cyndi Lauper: She’s So Unusual before reading and listening to our reviews below.

Quick Summary: 

  • Worth the hype?
  • Influence us and our tastes?
  • Would we recommend?
3.5

Review of Cyndi Lauper: She's So Unusual

Apparently, not only do girls want to have fun, but they can influence a decade. With close to 60 million albums sold and 16 million of this album alone, there is no denying the influence of Cyndi Lauper. We all had strong feelings about this pop album from 1983 and as we still hear songs today like Time After Time we let you know how this album stood up over time. Sorry it’s a bit long this month but we had lots to say. Enjoy the review of She’s So Unusual.


Our Individual Review Scores
Scott Gregory:
Overall opinion: 4
Would I recommend?: 4
Influenced my tastes: 4
Worth the hype? 4
Scott Coates:
Overall opinion: 3.75
Would I recommend?:3.75
Influenced my tastes: 2.5
Worth the hype?: 3.75
Darren Scott:
Overall opinion: 3.5
Would I recommend?: 4
Influenced my tastes: 2.5
Worth the hype? 4
Alain DuPuis:
Overall opinion: 3
Would I recommend?: 3.5
Influenced my tastes: 1.5
Worth the hype? 3

Cyndi Lauper: She's So Unusual


Hey there everybody, Scott G from the Sonic Collective here to introduce our pick for May, 2017. Recently we’ve gone through a number of bands with not only a unique sound, but signature style offstage. They left their stamp on pop culture and helped chart a generation. Read this article and then please listen to my audio above to hear why I selected this album.
This month I really wanted to feature a female artist and continue the unintentional theme of musicians that came onto the scene and threw everything in the air. Tore up the charts and pop culture at the same time.
Everyone will remember Cyndi Lauper for exploding onto the scene in 1984 with the Album She’s So Unusual. Even if the title doesn’t ring a bell, songs like Time after Time, She Bop, and the impossible to get out of your head “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” will certainly be familiar.
Like everyone else, I’ve ran into Cyndi’s songs on the radio, but I’ve never actually sat down and listened to one of her full albums. This first album spent 77 weeks on the Billboard 200, is certified six times platinum, and Slant Magazine ranks it #22 on the Best Albums of the 80s. My sister also thinks she’s pretty cool.
So, join us at the Sonic Collective this month in enjoying Cyndi Lauper’s debut album She’s so Unusual, and tune in at the end of the month to see if your thoughts are the same as ours. See you then.
Hear our review of this album here.
Links:
Album on Wikipedia
Cyndi’s site
Album on iTunes